Part 5 (1/2)

”It is never hungry,” replied Gabriel, confidently.

”Oh!” said Olly, with an air of relief.

Then Gabriel, the cunning, sought Mrs. Dumphy, the mentally alienated.

”You are jest killin' of yourself with the tendin' o' that child,” he said, after bestowing a caress on the blanket and slightly pinching an imaginary cheek of the effigy. ”It would be likelier and stronger fur a playmate. Good gracious! how thin it is gettin'. A change will do it good; fetch it to Olly, and let her help you to tend it until--until--to-morrow.” To-morrow was the extreme limit of Mrs.

Dumphy's future.

So Mrs. Dumphy and her effigy were installed in Gracie's place, and Olly was made happy. A finer nature or a more active imagination than Gabriel's would have revolted at this monstrous combination; but Gabriel only saw that they appeared contented, and the first pressing difficulty of Gracie's absence was overcome. So alternately they took care of the effigy, the child simulating the cares of the future and losing the present in them, the mother living in the memories of the past. Perhaps it might have been pathetic to have seen Olly and Mrs. Dumphy both saving the infinitesimal remnants of their provisions for the doll, but the only spectator was one of the actors, Gabriel, who lent himself to the deception; and pathos, to be effective, must be viewed from the outside.

At noon that day the hysterical young man, Gabriel's cousin, died.

Gabriel went over to the other hut and endeavoured to cheer the survivors. He succeeded in infecting them so far with his hopefulness as to loosen the tongue and imagination of the story-teller, but at four o'clock the body had not yet been buried. It was evening, and the three were sitting over the embers, when a singular change came over Mrs.

Dumphy. The effigy suddenly slipped from her hands, and looking up, Gabriel perceived that her arms had dropped to her side, and that her eyes were fixed on vacancy. He spoke to her, but she made no sign nor response of any kind. He touched her and found her limbs rigid and motionless. Olly began to cry.

The sound seemed to agitate Mrs. Dumphy. Without moving a limb, she said, in a changed, unnatural voice, ”Hark!”

Olly choked her sobs at a sign from Gabriel.

”They're coming!” said Mrs. Dumphy.

”Which?” said Gabriel.

”The relief party.”

”Where?”

”Far, far away. They're jest setting out. I see 'em--a dozen men with pack horses and provisions. The leader is an American--the others are strangers. They're coming--but far, oh, so far away!”

Gabriel fixed his eyes upon her, but did not speak. After a death-like pause, she went on--

”The sun is s.h.i.+ning, the birds are singing, the gra.s.s is springing where they ride--but, oh, so far--too far away!”

”Do you know them?” asked Gabriel.

”No.”

”Do they know us?”

”No.”

”Why do they come, and how do they know where we are?” asked Gabriel.

”Their leader has seen us.”

”Where?”

”In a dream.”[A]